Professor Wei Zhang

Prof WEI ZHANG, a Biochemical Engineer since 1989, is a globally recognized leader with research and teaching expertise in industry and marine biotechnology. He is a pioneer and the R&D leader in driving the establishment of Australian third-generation marine bioproducts industry.

He obtained his PhD from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS in 1994, and did his Postdocs at University of Tokyo, Adelaide University and Cambridge University. He joined Flinders University in 1998. Since 2000, he has secured many national and international grants over A$50 million, culminated at $270m Marine Bioproduct Cooperative Research Centre (MBCRC) grant as Bid Lead. He founded the Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development and became its inaugural Director in 2009. He has published 300+ refereed Journal papers, eight Journal special issues, two edited books. He is an editorial member of five Journals- Marine Biotechnology, Synthetic Biology and Engineering, Marine Life Science and Technology, Biofuels and Health Engineering; and Specialty-Chief Editor for Frontiers in Marine Science (Marine Biotechnology and Bioproducts). He is the Editor of Springer-Nature Book Series “Advances in Marine Bioprocesses and Bioproducts”. He has organised and chaired 30+ international conferences and sessions. He won several important awards including "South Australia Young Tall Poppy Science Award" in 2008, "South Australia Science Excellence Award- Science and Industry Collaboration" in 2022, and “Finalist of Australian Eureka Prizes for Leadership in Science and Innovation” in 2022. He is the Inaugural President of Australia-New Zealand Marine Biotechnology Society, and Chair of Marine Biotechnology Subcommittee, Australia National Marine Science Committee. He serves as the President for Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Society, and Board member of International Marine Biotechnology Association and BioMarine. He has driven many national and international partnerships across governments, universities, industries, professional societies and communities. He has highly accomplished entrepreneurial skills to drive translational research toward industry outcomes and impacts. He was the founding Research Director and Chief Science Advisor of MBCRC, an Australian national research for industry flagship to drive innovation for growing Australian third-generation high-value marine bioproducts industry.